Study finds online training reduces risk of clinical depression
A joint international study has demonstrated that a structured six-week online training program can reduce the risk of developing clinical depression by 39 percent.
Researchers from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Leuphana University Lüneburg, and VU University Amsterdam conducted a study on 406 participants identified as having an elevated risk for depression. The participants were divided into an experimental group undergoing the "GET ON" online training—which focuses on systemic problem-solving and behavioral activation—and a control group provided with standard written prevention guidelines.
One year after the intervention, diagnostic interviews revealed that 27 percent of those who completed the online training had developed clinical depression, compared to 41 percent in the reference group. This represents a 39 percent reduction in relative risk.
Dr. David Ebert, representing the chair of clinical psychology, noted that the findings present a flexible, low-cost option for early intervention. The program has already been integrated into the service offerings of the German health insurer Barmer GEK.